Notes and Editorial Reviews

The three cantatas on this recording come from the first half of the 1730s, by which time J.S. Bach was no longer writing a new cantata every week. In these later works, Bach’s affinity for instrumental colour is coming more clearly to the fore, as are elements of the new ‘empfindsamer Stil’ with its tendency towards expressive melodies rich in syncopations and suspensions, and towards homophonic writing. The three cantatas are also linked in that they are all chorale cantatas, harking back to Bach’s second year in Leipzig (1724–25), when the cantatas that he wrote were each based in their entirety on a well-known hymn. The opening cantata, In allen meinen Taten BWV 97, isRead more a setting of nine strophes from a poem by Paul Fleming, one of the great German baroque poets, and begins with a splendid French overture, in which the orchestra intones a solemn, slow introduction with the typical dotted rhythms, followed by a lively fugal section during which the choir makes its entry. This is followed by BWV 177, Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, which at its centre has the aria Verleih, dass ich aus Herzensgrund… a heartfelt prayer from the soprano and oboe da caccia for the capacity to forgive one’s enemies. The hymn Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, on which the closing BWV 9 is based, remains an important hymn in the German Evangelical Church. The text – and Bach’s setting of it – eloquently conveys the message that it is through faith rather than deeds that mankind may achieve salvation. Read less

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review: ( 1 Customer Review )

Two to Go!May 12, 2013By Alan Cowan (Canberra, ACT)See All My Reviews"Apparently there are now only two more CDs to come to complete Suzuki's Cantatas. What has always impressed me so much is Suzuki's total and utter ability to cross the cultural divide and to inspire his performers to do the same. I have yet to hear un unsatisfying performance in this wonderful series. There are three &quot;Chorale&quot; cantatas on this disc, all written after the annual cycles of cantatas for the Leipzig church year and they are to be seen, says Suzuki in his excellent notes, as independent and occasional works with a strong emphasis on instrumental colour and with influences of contemporary styles in composition. The performances are impeccable. Suzuki's direction is as always impressively precise and intense. He penetrates to the soul of this marvellous music and he brings out all the parts with great clarity. His players and soloists are of the highest calibre and his highly professional chorus could hardly be bettered. I still have a lot of precious cantata LPs by the great Karl Richter, and by Fritz Werner, Scherchen and others but this Suzuki set must surely now have an unrivalled status."Report Abuse

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